Lecture 11: Environmental Carcinogenesis Flashcards
Carcinogen
An agent that contributes to the formation of cancer
Consequence of cancer only being caused by DNA mutations
Human populations would experience the same rate of cancer
5 Carcinogenic environmental factors
- Chemicals
- Occupational exposures
- Physical agents
- Biological agents
- Lifestyle factors
Molecular mechanisms of chemically-induced carcinogenesis
- DNA Mutations
- Epigenetic Methylation
Potential causes of colorectal cancer in young adults
- Diet, genetic predisposition, and inflammation
- Chemicals in the Environment
The National Toxicology Program, led by NIEHS, has identified _____ chemicals that cause cancer in the intestines of mice or rats
18
Main symptom of colorectal cancer
Bright red blood in stool
The leading cause of cancer death among people under 50 in the United States
Colorectal cancer
Heterocyclic Amines
Chemicals formed when muscle meat is including beef, pork, fish, and poultry is cooked using high-temperature methods
Mechanism 1 of Heterocyclic amines
Induces G-to-T transversions and deletions of a single G from the sequence GGG-mutations of the sort that are found in many P53 alleles carried by human colon cancer cells.
Mechanism 2 of Heterocyclic amines
Red meat has non-human sialic acid isoform that leads to low level chronic inflammation and endothelial tissue
Carcinogen found in bacon, hot dogs, and packaged sandwich meat
Sodium Nitrate, a meat preservative
Carcinogen found in non-stick cookware
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), teflon, and other chemicals
Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
Class of fluorinated chemicals used widely in consumer and industrial products
Common sources of PFAS
Stain-resistant textiles, nonstick cookware, food packaging, cleaning products, cosmetics, and some firefighting foams such as aqueous film forming foam (AFFF)
